Description
Creamy chicken carbonara is a luxurious twist on the classic Italian pasta dish. With tender chicken, crispy bacon, and a rich cheese and egg sauce, this recipe is sure to impress your dinner guests.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips
Pasta:
- 12–14 ounces linguine or spaghetti
Bacon:
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, guanciale, or pancetta, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
Other:
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely grated
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Carbonara Sauce:
- 4 eggs (2 yolks only, 2 whole)
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil salted water and cook the linguine al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining.
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and optional cream in a bowl.
- Cook the Bacon and Chicken: Cook bacon until crispy, then cook chicken with garlic until done.
- Combine: Mix bacon, chicken, and linguine in a pan. Add egg mixture and pasta water. Toss until creamy.
- Serve: Top with basil, Parmesan, and enjoy!
Notes
- Cutting ingredients before starting makes the process smoother.
- Save pasta water to help create a creamy sauce.
- Protein can be omitted for a traditional dish.
- Cream is optional in carbonara.
- Pair with a white wine or Chianti Classico.
- Pancetta can be used instead of bacon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 706 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 906mg
- Fat: 20.7g
- Saturated Fat: 7.4g
- Carbohydrates: 37.2g
- Protein: 91.4g
- Cholesterol: 363mg
